The Energy and Utilities Alliance welcomes a new President and Vice President

Following the annual general meeting of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), Bob Murray, Managing Director of Skewb Industry, Communities, and CSR becomes the new President and Martyn Bridges, Director of Marketing and Technical Support at Worcester Bosch becomes Vice President. Mike Foster, Chief Executive of EUA says: “Firstly I must thank our outgoing President Andy Parker for his commitment, support, and dedication throughout an incredibly challenging year. I am delighted to congratulate Bob on becoming President, for the second time in his distinguished career. Having served as president before, he has the experience and knowledge to assist EUA as we aid the UK’s transition to net zero. Together with Martyn Bridges, who has a wealth of technical and industry experience in the heating sector, they make a formidable team.” Robert J Murray BEng (Hons) is a Past President of the EUA and has nearly 48 years’ experience in the Gas, Water and Energy Industries. Bob has held Director positions with Transco/National Grid, the Inexus Group, Skanska, and Enzen Global. His current role with Skewb UK is Managing Director for Industry, Communities, and CSR. A role, which refers to as his dream career role and the one worth waiting for. On his presidency, Bob Murray comments, “I am delighted and honoured to serve as President of the EUA, an organisation at the heart of everything good in the energy and utilities industry.” Newly appointed Vice president Martyn Bridges says, “I am honoured and very flattered to be appointed Vice President of the EUA. The heating industry is about to go through some seismic changes over the next few years with changing legislation and policy as we transition to a net zero solution. The EUA plays a vital part in joining industry and government together, so I’m delighted to be taking on this new position during these exciting times.”

50% of tradespeople worried about getting burnt while working outside

More than one-in-five tradespeople don’t wear sun protection when on the job, research commissioned by Toolstation has found, despite 67% wearing it while on holiday. The poll conducted by one of Britain’s fastest growing suppliers of tools, accessories and building supplies also found that 58% had suffered from sunburn while working outside. Nearly half (47%) of those surveyed said they don’t wear protection because they forget about it before going to work, while 15% don’t think they need it. A further 11% opt against wearing it because it tends to be inconvenient. Despite forgetting to apply sun cream, 50% are still worried about getting burnt while working outside. Other than using sun cream, those tradespeople also take other measures to help avoid burning. The poll found that: 60% wear sunglasses while working 54% reduce the amount of time they spend in the sun 50% cover up and wear long-sleeved clothing 50% stay in the shade when they can 85% of tradespeople felt more can be done in the industry to raise awareness of skin cancer and sun damage. A spokesperson from Toolstation says: “We know that tradespeople don’t have much time on their hands, so prioritising sun care can be difficult but it’s really important that tradespeople are well informed about the implications of being burnt while working in the sun and the steps they can take to minimise that risk. We want to help them overcome that risk and make wearing sun cream when working outdoors as common as PPE.” The HSE recommends the following for anyone that works outside: Keep a top on Wear a hat with a brim or a flap that covers the ears and the back of the neck Stay in the shade whenever possible, during your breaks and especially at lunch time and the hottest part of the day Use a high factor sunscreen of at least SPF15 on any exposed skin Drink plenty of water throughout the day  to avoid dehydration Check your skin regularly for any unusual moles or spots. See a doctor promptly if you find anything that is changing in shape, size or colour, itching or bleeding

Volunteers walk along Hadrian’s Wall to raise £20,000 for construction charity

A group of 13 volunteers have taken on and completed the iconic Hadrian’s Wall Walk to raise money for UK construction charity Band of Builders. The team tackled the Hadrian’s Wall Path (an 84 mile walk) from Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria on the west coast, adding on a few miles along the way to hit a total of 90 miles across four days. The team, backed by two support drivers, walked over 20 miles a day, braving sweltering heat, downpours, blisters and injuries to raise more than £20,000 for Band of Builders, a registered charity set up to help members of the UK construction industry battling illness or injury. The charity is about to start work on its 26th project, which takes place in Northern Ireland, and has more in the pipeline throughout 2022, plus a mental health initiative dubbed The Big Brew. Martin O’Donnell, Fundraising Coordinator at Band of Builders, led the team on the challenge. He says: “Most people take on Hadrian’s Wall across six or seven days, so to complete it in four days was no mean feat. “We had plenty of highs and lows along the way, but everyone agreed that blisters, injuries and long days are worth it to do our bit to help others when they need it. There’s still time to sponsor us as we aim to make this the biggest fundraiser from BoB to date.” BoB is not only backed by tradespeople from across the UK but is also supported by major names within the construction industry, including DEWALT, Jewson, Gibbs & Dandy, V12 Footwear, Talasey, Resideo and Haemmerlin. The Hadrian’s Wall team included a group of eight volunteers from DEWALT, which is matching their fundraising to add even more money to the pot, and four volunteers from Talasey also joined the group for one day of the challenge. So far, the group as a whole has raised just over £20,000 and is keen to boost that total, which will go to future Band of Builders projects to help tradespeople in their hour of need. Aimee Cooper, Senior eCommerce & Digital Manager from DEWALT, comments: “Our team are always inspired by the incredible people at BoB and the work they do to support members of the construction community. When we shared the opportunity to participate in the Hadrians Wall Walk with our teams, we received a fantastic response!” “As a group we all came together and supported one another through the challenges & toughest moments, with the ambition to make this BoB’s biggest fundraising event yet!”

Relationships: support from the EIC

Our entire life is formed of relationships so it’s no surprise they can hugely impact our mental and physical health. A relationship between two people who don’t support each other is termed a ‘toxic relationship’ and can occur with a partner, family member, friend or colleague. Toxic relationships can be hugely damaging. In 2020, the Office for National Statistics reported that an estimated 2.3 million adults aged 16 to 74 in England and Wales experienced abuse in their relationship with a partner. 26% of the instances reported to police were committed against men. Yet only 4.4% of victims end up being supported by local services, with 11% of male victims and 7.2% of women victims saying they’ve considered suicide as a result. A few years ago, Steve was in a relationship with an abusive woman who struggled with alcohol addiction. He stayed with her longer than he should have done simply because he insisted she had 'a lovely side' that he believed in. After years of abuse, Steve finally made the decision to leave his partner. He got a new flat and eventually formed a new healthy relationship. But his ex-girlfriend refused to let Steve be happy. She couldn't allow him to move on with his new partner, and over a series of months, she did everything in her power to break them up, loitering around his new flat and shouting death threats through his letterbox. On one of these occasions, she physically assaulted both Steve and his partner. The police were called and an injunction was taken out to protect them both. Although this stopped the abuse, the months of trauma had become too much for Steve’s new partner and she ended the relationship. Up until this point, Steve had been motivated at work, active at the gym, and generally had a positive outlook on life. But the trauma caused by his ex-girlfriend left him struggling to get out of bed and resulted in him being signed off work and feeling on the verge of a mental breakdown. He started medication prescribed by his GP but he was placed on the end of a long waiting list to access any form of counselling. His manager visited him at home and advised him to seek support, so Steve contacted the EIC through the helpline. He spoke with a caseworker on the phone and relayed the traumatic events of the last few years. The EIC sourced a therapist just days after the first contact. After only one session with this therapist, Steve has said he is starting to feel better and more positive about the future. The help Steve was able to access is due to the support of the EIC and the powerLottery. It means he is getting the support he needs to access therapy, put the abusive relationship behind him and start the process of moving on with his life. Without powerLottery, the EIC would not be able to offer this support to people like Steve. That’s why it needs people like you to become a powerLottery player to help EIC to continue supporting its industry members. powerLottery is the only lottery made for the electrical industry by the electrical industry. It gives players 40 chances to win cash prizes ranging from £50 to £1,000 every single month. A £10,000 draw bi-yearly gives players even more opportunity to win big. A new car, a holiday in the sun, a kitchen re-fit or a brand-new wardrobe… think of all the different ways you could spend £10,000. The EIC is also holding its Lean in Brunch - the first of its kind in the electrical industry. It’s aimed at men and women across the industry to celebrate and empower women in the sector.

J S Wright appoints new Electrical Project Manager

J S Wright has appointed Andrew Osborne as Electrical Project Manager. Based at the company’s new London office in Euston, he will help manage the electrical element of M&E projects as part of the company’s rapidly growing project management team. With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, including six years in project management, Andrew was previously project manager for a London-based M&E specialist working in multiple sectors, where his responsibilities included managing the delivery of all the electrical services for 85 high-end apartments at the Old War Office in Whitehall. Andrew is currently working on a new £9 million contract to install the engineering infrastructure systems for the third and largest phase of Hallsville Quarter, a new £600 million town centre scheme in Canning Town and one of London’s biggest regeneration projects. Phil Leech, J S Wright Managing Director, says: “Andrew’s skills and experience will help us meet a swelling order book for electrical services and strengthen our reputation as the M&E services contractor of choice for developers of multi-million-pound residential projects.”

ABB collaborates with Microsoft to reinforce commitment to low-carbon society

ABB has announced that Microsoft has joined its Energy Efficiency Movement. Launched in March 2021 by ABB, the #energyefficiencymovement is a multi-stakeholder initiative to raise awareness and spur action to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions to combat climate change. Companies are invited to join the movement and make a public pledge as a way of inspiring others to take action. Microsoft represents one of the largest corporate partners to join the initiative to date. Energy efficiency is taking on greater urgency throughout industry as companies look for opportunities to decarbonise amid soaring energy costs and pressure from customers, employees and governments to make strides on sustainability. A recent survey commissioned by ABB found that energy efficiency is clearly top of mind for executives around the world. It revealed that 89% of industrial leaders surveyed will increase investment in the energy efficiency of their operations in the coming five years, with 54% aiming to achieve net zero emissions in that timeframe. “The greenest energy is the energy we never use,” says Tarak Mehta, President, Motion business area, ABB. “With 45% of the world’s electricity used to power motors in buildings and industry, improving energy efficiency is an essential strategy to fight climate change. Digitally connected energy efficient solutions are critical to accelerating progress and I am delighted Microsoft and ABB are making common cause to enable greater energy efficiency in our operations and those of our customers.” “Microsoft is joining the ABB Energy Efficiency Movement to help accelerate global progress on energy efficiency and carbon reduction,” comments Elisabeth Brinton, Corporate Vice President Sustainability, Microsoft. “Microsoft is committed to become carbon negative by 2030 and 100% powered by renewable electricity by 2025, and these goals are well aligned to both ABB and the Movement’s aims. This will further support our existing collaboration to help customers in sectors like manufacturing, transportation, and cities to make better decisions at scale and drive meaningful efficiency gains.” For its part, ABB reduced greenhouse gas emissions from its operations in 2021 by some 28% on a year-over-year basis. In its comprehensive sustainability strategy, ABB has affirmed it will reach carbon neutrality by decade’s end. Beyond its own operations, ABB has also committed to help its customers in reducing their annual CO2 emissions by at least 100 megatons by 2030, the equivalent of removing 30 million combustion cars from the roads each year. With partners like Microsoft, Deutsche Post DHL Group and Alfa Laval, the ABB Energy Efficiency Movement brings together an ecosystem of like-minded industry leaders to accelerate efforts in decarbonisation. Having recently celebrated five years of successful collaboration in the context of ABB AbilityTM, ABB’s portfolio of digital solutions, the announcement regarding the Energy Efficiency Movement further cements Microsoft and ABB’s joint efforts to push technology boundaries in empowering customers to address sustainability. Using Microsoft Azure’s platform-as-a-service capability, along with AI and machine learning-based analytics, cloud computing and edge technologies, ABB Ability solutions are powering a range of industrial use cases that help organisations optimise how they make use of energy in powertrains, facilities and other physical assets. A new ABB whitepaper highlights some of the opportunities presented by digitalisation and the industrial Internet of Things in bringing about more energy-efficient operations.

St Gemma’s Hospice choose Lightico

CleanLight from Lightico has been chosen by St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds to protect their team as they offer end of life and palliative care for patients. Cleanlight is a powerful LED panel proven to clean the air by destroying viruses and bacteria wherever it shines. Approved by eminent microbiologist, Dr Carl Edwards, and extensively tested in laboratories, CleanLight has been proven to eliminate the problem of bacteria, pollutants and odours in the air across a number of different environments. Lightico were invited into St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds to carry out their Clean Air Audit. Mark Garrett, Managing Director Lightico explains: “Working with key strategic partner Edmundson Electrical, Lightico were introduced to St Gemma’s Hospice as part of their ongoing programme of estates improvements and innovation. “Our Clean Air Audit is a precise, scientifically verified process that accurately measures airborne pathogens and shows where the potential for onward transmission of disease is greatest. “Like many workplaces in the UK, healthcare settings are still subject to stringent working practices to address the potential spread of COVID-19. “The challenge at St Gemma’s was the air quality in key workspaces where caregivers need to discuss sensitive and confidential care plans for patients. “Through the installation of our CO2 monitors, levels of carbon dioxide are constantly monitored, and staff have been trained in what measures need to be taken if safe limits are exceeded. “The challenge is that options to mitigate the poor air quality are limited. With only one office per ward, the spaces are constantly in use day and night. Without any mechanical air extract the only option is opening the door or window – resulting in increased heating costs and potential breaches in confidentiality.” The Clean Air audit consisted of three sampling areas. Each was exposed to the air for 60 minutes. This gives Lightico a quantitative estimate of the air concentration of micro-organisms in the air. From here a detailed analysis of the airborne threats are verified and tabulated with a solution presented. Mark continues: “We replaced the existing light fittings with CleanLight LED panels, disruption was minimal with the entire installation taking less than a day to complete.” Brett Felton of Edmundson Electrical adds: “Working with Lightico provides us with a new dimension to our lighting and ventilation offer. Their air quality audit provides our customers with a clear business case that demonstrates the return on investment they can achieve from installing CleanLight” Richard Wilson, Estates manager, St Gemma’s Hospice adds: “Co2 monitoring was just the first step in developing a clean air strategy for our most valuable asset – our staff. It was only when we looked at CleanLight that we could see a viable solution that was practical and cost effective. We were confident in its capability to clean the air but, the results have exceeded our expectations.”

Smarter data super-charges customer satisfaction

Britain’s biggest electricity distribution grid is making smarter use of customer feedback to improve customer service. UK Power Networks has risen in the Institute of Customer Service UK Customer Satisfaction Index rankings from 14th in its sector to 4th across all service organisations among companies such as Amazon, John Lewis and Apple. The company studies customer satisfaction data gathered during regular surveys and engagement events, as part of its drive to provide the best customer service. When the data showed that accuracy of information had the strongest impact on customers’ experience, the company switched away from static estimates of when power would be back on during power cuts. It now uses dynamic estimates compiled from five-year rolling data, based on actual local restoration times. Customers receive far more accurate estimates about when their power will be restored. This gives customers confidence in the information given, as the company aims to reduce the changes in the given restoration times. A data-driven approach to restoration times means the company has reduced the number of customers with more than three restoration times by 10%. Field teams have received additional training to understand what customers want to know from on-site, which helps to drive a culture of regular information updates to keep customers up to date. To enable better management of real time customer experiences, live incident dashboards were introduced for customer services and field staff managers. These show how many times Estimated Times of Restoration have changed, where incident durations may exceed what has been forecast and highlight repeat issues so the teams can prioritise actions, tailor customer care to meet individual needs and improve services. Hannah Ngoma, Head of Customer Change at UK Power Networks, says: “This project is an example of how we are using customer analytics and data to improve services. “Customers need confidence in the information we give about when their power will be restored, which is the most important factor driving customer satisfaction during power cuts. Data is enabling us to make the power restoration timeframe more dynamic by area. “We are increasing customer numbers reconnected within the original timeframe and reducing the number of times we need to change the estimated restoration time.”

Mental Health support discussed at JIB Regional Forum

At the Joint Industry Board’s (JIB) recent Regional Forum held at the JTL’s Training Centre in Birmingham a number of engaging topics were discussed, including mental health support. One of the benefits of being a JIB member is the easy access to a range of mental health support services from Bupa. A key benefit and condition of JIB company membership is that all operatives and apprentices are provided with the JIB Benefits Scheme that is administered by EC Insurance Services (ECIS). The JIB benefit credit provides: Private medical insurance with Bupa Most extensive mental health cover on the market Babylon virtual GP Face-to-face counselling 45 days in patient mental health cover Employee assistance Programme, completely confidential available 24/7 Death in service cover Accidental Death Benefit Permanent and Total Disability Benefit Occupational Health Assessment funding (to value of £85.00 plus VAT) Nick Woollacott of BGEN, a JIB member, comments: “JIB membership helps us to stand out as a quality employer and the JIB benefits package demonstrates to our people and the outside world that we value them.” Jay Parmar, Chief Executive of the JIB, says: “Knowing that your organisation has access to a range of employee benefits can have a positive effect on company productivity and morale, while health insurance can reduce the impact of sickness absence on the bottom line. What’s more, providing a benefit such as private medical insurance can help with the acquisition and retention of staff, helping employees feel valued and motivated.”

Burton contractor celebrates 35 years in business

An East Midlands mechanical and electrical contractor that started life in the CEO’s garage is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. From humble beginnings, Woodward Group has grown into a successful family business offering multiple services and turnkey solutions to customers nationwide. It now employs 43 members of staff and has ambitious plans to grow further. Formerly Woodward Electrical, Woodward Group was originally founded by the company’s CEO, Alan Woodward, in 1987 and set up from the garage at his house in Burton on Trent. Commenting on the company’s beginnings, Alan explains: “I was working as a sub-contractor for other electrical contracting businesses at the time and could see first-hand what approach worked well and what didn’t. From this experience, I decided to take a leap of faith and set up my own company so that I could offer customers an improved service with reliability as the main foundation from which everything else is built on.” The company quickly took off, moving its premises to a commercial unit on Yeomans Industrial Estate before purchasing a builder’s yard based in Swadlincote. Following sustained growth, Woodward Group lay down roots at a modern facility on Granary Wharf Business Park in 2015, where it is still based today, and has recently purchased a larger office on the same estate to allow for further expansion. Alan attributes the team’s shared vision as key to Woodward Group’s success. He continues: “As many of the team’s senior members have come through the company apprenticeship scheme (with some being with us for over 20 years) we see ourselves as a big family and the business itself is built on family values. It is these principles, like honesty, transparency and reliability, that are key to our success and set us apart from others.” As well as maintaining longstanding clients over a 35-year period, Alan’s proudest achievement with Woodward Group is when his son, Aden Woodward, took on the role of Managing Director in 2013. Aden hopes to continue his father’s ambition of growing the team further and has set a new revenue target of £10m by 2025. He also feels passionately about developing the company’s charitable, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts, having recently led the team in completing the National Three Peaks Challenge to raise over £3,000 for Diabetes UK. “Woodward Group has mechanical and electrical engineering expertise woven into our DNA,” says Aden Woodward, MD at Woodward Group. “I feel honoured to have played a part in the company’s expansion in recent years. We have always predominantly undertaken electrical contracting, energy solutions, and compliance works, but circa. 10 years ago, we added the fire safety division to the business. More recently we have also added process, ATEX, mechanical, and building services. We now have a proven track record of completing turnkey projects for some of the most prestigious clients in the world. “Looking to the future, sustainability is becoming even more of a central focus for Woodward Group. As we grow, we want to play our part in the global environmental agenda and improve efficiencies wherever we can within the business. It is also important to both me and my dad that we leave behind a legacy that we can feel truly proud of as a family.” Woodward Group looks forward to welcoming customers, suppliers, friends and family to its new facilities later this year to celebrate an incredible 35 years in business.